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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tips for Being Frugal
Money Talks
Q&A: Invest Ed®
STARS Program
Making
Finances Fun
Poor Money Habits
On Our Mind
Tackling Debt
Building a
Business Plan
At Your Service
Choosing a Tax Pro
Go Green, Save Green
Partner News
Calendar
Your Bottom Line
January/February 2012
TM
Follow ‘OKMoneyMatters’ on Twitter
OklahomaMoneyMatters.org
800.970.OKMM
405.234.4253
Like ‘OklahomaMoneyMatters’ on Facebook
Are You Protected?
In today’s digital world we’re so connected that it’s revolutionized how we do everything, from shopping to socializing. However, that constant connectivity has also allowed online scams and schemes to become more prevalent.
Do you ever stop to think about what personal information is being shared through our devices and who’s using it?
Jan 28 is Data Privacy Day (DPD), an annual celebration promoting privacy awareness and education. DPD empowers consumers to learn the many ways our personal information is collected, stored, used and shared so we can better protect ourselves from identity theft and fraud.
Learning about common threats - such as the scams described in this article - can keep you informed and protected.
Phishing uses fake emails or websites from recognizable companies to fool consumers into giving out sensitive information like usernames, passwords and account numbers. Remember, legitimate companies won’t contact you via phone or email to verify log-in or account information.
419 Scams, also called Nigerian scams, are letters from a self-proclaimed foreign official who’s seeking help in an illegal money laundering scheme. A percentage of the money is promised in return for helping with the transaction. There are many versions of this scam, so be wary of any message that promises great wealth.
Advance Fee Scams claim the recipient has won a fabulous contest that they never entered. The prize is free but to get it, you
must pay the tax and shipping fee. Once the victim supplies their account information, the account is emptied and no prize ever arrives.
Greeting card scams arrive in your inbox and appear to be from someone you know. Clicking the link installs spyware on your computer that uses your email contacts to sends similar messages.
Work-from-home scams offer unsuspecting victims the opportunity to work from home and earn big paychecks. Some work-from-home businesses are legitimate, but if an offer requires you to purchase your own supplies or pay shipping expenses, it’s most likely a scam.
Scareware scams are bogus antivirus warnings that instruct users to purchase the “full version” of the antivirus software to clean their computer of fictitious viruses. If you get a message that seems
cont. on page 2

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tips for Being Frugal
Money Talks
Q&A: Invest Ed®
STARS Program
Making
Finances Fun
Poor Money Habits
On Our Mind
Tackling Debt
Building a
Business Plan
At Your Service
Choosing a Tax Pro
Go Green, Save Green
Partner News
Calendar
Your Bottom Line
January/February 2012
TM
Follow ‘OKMoneyMatters’ on Twitter
OklahomaMoneyMatters.org
800.970.OKMM
405.234.4253
Like ‘OklahomaMoneyMatters’ on Facebook
Are You Protected?
In today’s digital world we’re so connected that it’s revolutionized how we do everything, from shopping to socializing. However, that constant connectivity has also allowed online scams and schemes to become more prevalent.
Do you ever stop to think about what personal information is being shared through our devices and who’s using it?
Jan 28 is Data Privacy Day (DPD), an annual celebration promoting privacy awareness and education. DPD empowers consumers to learn the many ways our personal information is collected, stored, used and shared so we can better protect ourselves from identity theft and fraud.
Learning about common threats - such as the scams described in this article - can keep you informed and protected.
Phishing uses fake emails or websites from recognizable companies to fool consumers into giving out sensitive information like usernames, passwords and account numbers. Remember, legitimate companies won’t contact you via phone or email to verify log-in or account information.
419 Scams, also called Nigerian scams, are letters from a self-proclaimed foreign official who’s seeking help in an illegal money laundering scheme. A percentage of the money is promised in return for helping with the transaction. There are many versions of this scam, so be wary of any message that promises great wealth.
Advance Fee Scams claim the recipient has won a fabulous contest that they never entered. The prize is free but to get it, you
must pay the tax and shipping fee. Once the victim supplies their account information, the account is emptied and no prize ever arrives.
Greeting card scams arrive in your inbox and appear to be from someone you know. Clicking the link installs spyware on your computer that uses your email contacts to sends similar messages.
Work-from-home scams offer unsuspecting victims the opportunity to work from home and earn big paychecks. Some work-from-home businesses are legitimate, but if an offer requires you to purchase your own supplies or pay shipping expenses, it’s most likely a scam.
Scareware scams are bogus antivirus warnings that instruct users to purchase the “full version” of the antivirus software to clean their computer of fictitious viruses. If you get a message that seems
cont. on page 2